Women in Turkey challenge gender norms in traditional trades

In Turkey, women are challenging traditional gender roles by succeeding in trades historically dominated by men.

In Yüksekova, Saniye Şenlik has operated a tailoring business for approximately 30 years. Having learned the craft from her mother, she specializes in traditional clothing and has used her profession to raise four children. She continues to work in the same shop where she has spent much of her career.

In Samsun, 20-year-old Nursena Kandemir is working as a lathe operator in the industrial sector. A third-year Electrical and Electronics Engineering student at Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam University, Kandemir learned the trade from her father. She advocates for women to pursue any profession based on talent rather than societal prejudices, stating that “women can do every profession.”